Pages

Monday, May 2, 2011

Celebrate Children's Book Week

It's Children's Book Week! Since 1919, Children's Book Week has been celebrated nationwide with author and illustrator appearances, parties, storytelling, and other book-related events in schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs -- anywhere where kids and books connect. Sounds like fun, right?

I know I can't wait as I'll be reading my latest book, The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade at Torringford Elementary School in Connecticut on Thursday, but Children's Book Week is a national celebration with events happening from coast to coast throughout the week, and there are so many ways you can celebrate....

-Check out the winners of The Children's Choice Book Awards on May 2nd!
-Be sure to visit the Children's Book Week official website to check out the line-up of Official Book Week events!
-Don't forget to Download the 2011 Book Week bookmark by Jeff Kinney and order your 2011 Poster by Peter Brown!
-And definitely check in with your local libraries as I'm sure they'll have their own festivities! You can also see if there are events in your area by checking the local events page at Book Week Online. I mean, really--check out some of these amazing events...

If you live in South Milwaukee, the "One World, Many Stories" program at the South Milwaukee (WI) Public Library on May 4th is sure to be awesome as two authors and an illustrator will visit! Sara Laux Akin will read her first picture book, Three Scoops and a Fig. Janet Halfmann, the award-winning author of more than thirty fiction and nonfiction children's books will read one of her latest, Good Night, Little Sea Otter. Janet and the children will transform the reading room into a kelp forest at the edge of the ocean. Children will hold on tight to long strands of seaweed (green fleece) to keep Mother and Baby Sea Otter from drifting away as the story unfolds. And Milwaukee illustrator Carol Schwartz, the winner of many awards for her more than 50 books depicting nature and animals, will share her art journey through examples and on-site drawing. She will feature her math-themed book, Wild Fibonacci: Nature's Secret Code Revealed and relate surprises uncovered in researching her subjects.

-The Burton Barr Central Library in downtown Phoenix is operating a small bookstore called the Friends’ Place Bookstore. In celebration of Children’s Book Week, they will be giving away FREE, gently used books – one per kid per day – such that any endeavoring kid could walk away with 7 free books by the end of the week! Details here.

-On Saturday, May 7, Washington County Free Library in Hagertown, MDcelebrates reading with a parade, magic, free books, local authors, entertainment and more at Valley Mall! 2011 Children's Choice Book Awards Gala host and creator of the Lunch Lady series Jarrett Krosoczka is one of the authors slated to appear! Details here.

-On Saturday, May 7, the first independent bookstore to specialize in children's literature in Western New York state, B is for Books will celebrate Children's Book Week with an appearance by Curious George in their shop. The beloved character will greet shoppers and be the inspiration for reading activities and related crafts.

-And I wish I lived in Frisco,Texas for this one! Aspiring writers from age 12 to adult will have the opportunity to learn the tips of the trade from Anastasia Suen, local publishing industry consultant and author of more than 125 books for kids and adults at the Frisco Public Library.

Find it Fast!

Watch The Bug Book Trailer

About Me

Lori Calabrese is a kindergarten teacher and an award winning children's author. Her books include The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade, which won Dragonfly Publishing Inc.'s 2009 Best Children's Book Award and Oh! the Possibilities! Lori's stories and articles have appeared in various children's magazines such as Boys' Life, Odyssey, Appleseeds, Focus on the Family Clubhouse, Jr., Turtle Magazine for Preschool Kids, Stories for Children Magazine, and The Institute of Children's Literature's Rx for Writers. To learn more about Lori and her work, please visit www.loricalabrese.com